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Races of Arda
The Free Races: Playable Races 'Men' Men are a mortal race of people and were the Second Born of the Children of Ilúvatar. They awoke in the First Age and spread throughout Middle-earth. Men are the dominant race on Middle-earth in the present time. They speak Westron in most cases, though some cultures maintain their own tongue, such as Rohirric. In the present time, Men in Middle-earth are located in many locations, with the largest group of free men located in the countries of Gondor and Rohan. Men bear the so-called Gift of Men, mortality. Men of Gondor Men of Gondor are descendants from the Númenórean colonists who settled in Gondor throughout most of the Second Age and their noble kin who escaped the destruction of Númenór in SA 3319. Being mostly of Númenórean stock and ruled by exiled Númenórean overlords, the people continued most of the customs and traditions of Númenór. However, over the centuries, they mixed more and more with the men of Middle-earth. Rohirrim Rohirrim are the descendants of the Éothéod, horsemen who came from the sources of the Great River Anduin, near where the Ered Mithrin (Grey Mountains) met the Misty Mountains. The Rohirrim are a horse people of the land of Rohan, which is named after them. Physically, the Rohirrim are a tall, blonde, and mostly blue eyed people. They are fiercely independent and conservative, remaining within their own language and culture. Men of Dale Men of Dale are descendants of the Northmen who populated Rhovanion throughout the many ages. They are the inhabitants of the state city Dale. They came from the area around the Lonely Mountain (Erebor). The Warriors of Dale are dark-haired and very light-skinned. Dúnedain Dúnedain are the Men descendants from the Númenóreans who survived the fall of their island kingdom (Númenor) and came to Eriador in Middle-earth, led at first by Elendil and his sons. They are also called the Men of the West. They settled mainly in Arnor and Gondor, but during the Third Age only in the Arnor-region. Direct descendants of the Dúnedain are known to live longer than normal Men. Beornings Beornings are a race of Men. The origins of Beornings are not known only that they dwelt in the Vales of Anduin between Mirkwood and the Great River in the late Third Age.1 They had a special talent that other Men did not and that was they were able to change into bears. They were named after Beorn, who had the ability to turn into bears. They seemed to have the same life-span of mortal men, and could speak in both the tongue of men and of bears. The Beornings are very few in number in the present time. 'Dwarves' Dwarves are short, stocky, hairy humanoids, good at forging and mining. They were created by Aulë the Smith, have their own language, kept secret from others, and writing, though most, if not all, spoke and wrote the Common Tongue of Westron as well. The Dwarven language was created by Aulë, and is known as Khuzdul . The dwarves are often miners and prefer to live in mountains and caves. Dwarves in Middle-earth live in Erebor, the Lonely Mountain, The Iron Hills, Grey Mountains and the Blue Mountains. They mine and work precious metals throughout the mountains of Middle-earth. The seven different groups of Dwarf-folk originated in the locations where the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves first awoke before the First Age. Elves Elves are an immortal race of people, the First Born of the Children of Ilúvatar. They awoke during the Years of the Trees, and quickly spread throughout Middle-earth and many migrated into the Far West at the invitation of the Valar. They were divided between the Silvan Elves who eventually settled in Mirkwood, and the Noldor who settled in the lands west of Middle-earth. There were also the Sindar. Many of the Noldor in Middle-earth live in Lindon. The Sindar lived in Lorien as well also in Lindon. Elves are lovers of art, particularly songs, and are described as beautiful and talented beings, as well as the fairest and wisest of all creatures in Middle-earth. Elves have sharp senses, and many of them are excellent archers. They are immortal and do not age nor catch diseases, though they can be killed or die of grief. Their languages include Quenya spoken by the Vanyar and the Noldor and Sindarin spoken by the Sindar. 'Hobbits' Hobbits, an offshoot of the race of men, are a variety of Middle-earth people shorter than men and characterised by curly hair and large hairy feet. Many hobbits live in The Shire as well as Bree, whence they are thought to have migrated from the vales of the Anduin. There are three main types of Hobbits: The Harfoots , the most numerous; The Stoors that have an affinity for water, boats and swimming; and The Fallohides that are said to be an adventurous people. Hobbits, smaller than Dwarves, are presumed to be the last race to appear on Middle-earth. They have curly hair & big, tough-soled feet, on which they rarely wear shoes or boots. They speak Westron, but with a few words of their own mixed in. 'Maiar' The Maiar are spirits that descended to Arda to help the Valar shape the World. They are supposed to be numerous, yet not many are named. Their chiefs are Eönwë, banner-bearer and herald of Manwë, and Ilmarë, the handmaid of Varda. Each of the Maiar is associated with one or more particular Valar, and are of similar stock, though less powerful. The Free Races: Non-Playable Races 'Valar' The Valar are powers of the world created by Ilúvatar, or Eru, who rarely directly intervene in the world's course of events. They are part of the Hierarchy of Spirits. The Valar are the greatest of the Ainur, initially fifteen, now fourteen. They entered Arda after its creation to give order to the world and combat the evils of Melkor. 'Eagles' The Eagles are immense flying birds. They are intelligent and can speak to men and elves. The Eagles fought alongside the army of the Valar, Elves, and Edain during the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age. In the Third Age, Thorondor's descendants Gwaihir and Landroval live in an Eyrie to the east of the Misty Mountains in Wilderland. 'Ents' Ents, also known as Treeherders, are an ancient race of tree-like creatures who care for the forests and are their shepherds, and are similar in size and physical aspect to the trees they shepherd. They have great strength and they can live a long time. In the present time, there are few Ents left, because the Entwives have disappeared and many Ents have grown sleepy and "tree-ish". 'Giants' Giants, also refered to as Stone-Giants, are presumably a race of huge humanoids. There is some controversy as to whether they actually exist or are merely a poetic description of the animating spirit of fierce thunderstorms in the Misty Mountains. The Enslaved and Evil Race: Playable Races 'Orcs' Orcs are a race of evil beings first bred by Morgoth from corrupted and tortured Elves. They mostly live in the darkness in mountain caves because of their dislike of sunlight. Many of them live in the Misty Mountains, while others lived in Mordor. They can also be called goblins. Orcs have many sub-races and dialects. Different tribes have different dialects so they often used Westron to communicate with each other. 'Goblins' When Melkor was taken in chains to Valinor, the Orcs and other foul creatures were forced to flee from Angband. Their kingdoms spread throughout many mountains of Middle-earth; notable cities include Goblin-town near the High Pass above Rivendell, the Goblin-capital at Mount Gundabad, and the former Dwarf-kingdom of Moria, as well as those in the service of Isengard and Mordor. 'Uruk-hai' Uruk-hai are a larger and more advanced breed of Orc that appeared during the Third Age. The Uruk-hai are faster than normal Orcs and can travel during the day without being weakened by the sun. They are significantly more muscular and not quite so bow-legged as orcs, and often stand six feet tall, notably larger than orcs but still shorter than most men. These top-heavy juggernauts wince and grimace constantly, as if they are always in pain and their only relief lays in violence. It is said that the Uruk-hai were the result of crossbreeding Orcs and Men. 'Men of Darkness' Easterlings Easterlings, commonly known as the Men of Darkness, are a race of Men who live in the vast and uncharted lands of Rhûn, east of Mordor and the Sea of Rhun. Easterlings are enemies of the Free Peoples and are allies of Sauron. There are many different nations and kingdoms of Easterlings living in the vast lands of Rhûn. These range from civilized empires to barbaric horse nomads of the open steppes. This race is possibly akin to the Balchoth and the Swarthy Men, and are made up of many tribes (e.g., the Wainriders). Haradrim Haradrim, also called in Westron the Southrons, were a race of Men from Harad in the region of Middle-earth directly south of Gondor. Before that, in the First Age, the Atani from whom the Haradrim descended were known as Black Men. Similar to the Easterlings, they are also under Sauron's dominion. Dunlendings Dunlendings, also known as Wildmen of Dunland, are the people of Dunland. They are known as a fierce culture of Men who seek vengeance on the people of Rohan who drove them into the mountains. The Dunlendings are hill-folk used to living in harsh conditions, often seen in leather garb and fur cloaks. They are a tough, hardy people, big and powerful with long, unkempt hair and beards. The Enslaved and Evil Races: Non-Playable Races Trolls Trolls are evil beings formed by Morgoth in mockery of Ents. They generally dislike the sun, and some types of trolls turn to stone on exposure to direct sunlight. Trolls dwelt in the Misty Mountains as well as in Mordor. Trolls are a very large and monstrous (ranging from between 8 to 10 feet tall), and for the most part unintelligent humanoid race inhabiting Middle-earth. Variations of trolls included Rock trolls (the fighting trolls of Mordor), Mountain trolls (the working trolls of Mordor), and a variation which was a cross breed of troll and orc (half troll) called the Olog-hai. 'Olog-hai' Olog-hai are a fierce and more violent breed of Trolls that serves the Dark Lord, Sauron. They have none of the old Troll vulnerabilities: they are very intelligent and able to move under the Sun unlike their other counterparts. They are improved Trolls, much like the Uruk-hai are improved orcs. The Olog-hai however may have actually been corrupted Trolls and marred to the Dark Powers like the Balrogs, Orcs, and Werewolves were. Wargs Wargs are canine beasts, that were corrupted by the Dark Powers, of Middle-earth in the Misty Mountains and Rhovanion, used especially by Orcs of Mordor in the Third Age. They are used by orcs as a form of transportation, in the same manner that Men and Elves use horses. 'Giant Spiders' Giant Spiders, also known as the Spawn of Ungoliant, are a race of oversized and sentient arachnids that lived in Middle-Earth, particularly in dark and perilous places. The Great Spiders can speak to one another, though only those imbued with the power of (or derived from) the Ainur could understand them. Like Orcs and Goblins, Great Spiders were known to detest light, yet they thirsted for it and sought to devour it. Great Spiders comprise three separate species. 'Bats' Bats are giant flying creatures that roam in the forests of Middle-Earth. They are known for their service to the forces of Darkness. Bats sided with the goblins and wargs in the Battle of Five Armies, during which they flew so thickly across the sky that the sunlight was blotted out. 'Werewolves' Werewolves were, at first, servants of Morgoth, bred from Wolves and inhabited by dreadful spirits imprisoned in their wolfish forms by Sauron. Werewolves were not shape-shifters, and were always in the form of beasts. Known to be stronger and faster than the famous Wargs, they are also as intelligent as a mortal man which made them capable of negotiating and communicating with others. Thus they are able to speak the Black Speech, Westron, and the Elvish Languages. 'Nazgûl' Nazgûl, also known as Ringwraiths, Black Riders or the Nine, are the dreaded ring-bound servants of the Dark Lord Sauron in Middle-earth throughout the Second and Third ages, and they dwelt during the Third Age in Minas Morgul. Once nine great Kings of Men, they were all given Rings of Power. The Nine took them without question and subsequently, after the forging of the One Ring, became slaves of Sauron and later his chief lieutenants. Their rings were forged approximately SA 1500. 'Dragons' Dragons are ancient, powerful creatures, as feared by others as they are admired in Middle-earth. They are powerful, and intelligent. Their exact origin is debated, though it is clearly known that they were created by Morgoth in some sense. In addition to being long-lived, powerful, and cunning, dragons also possess subtle intelligence, great physical strength, and nearly impenetrable scales on everything but their undersides. 'Balrogs' Balrogs are the Valaraukar, spirits of the Maiar that were seduced and corrupted by Melkor to his service. There were never more than seven, according to some writings, but in other versions of old writings there are references to entire armies of Balrogs, at least before the destruction of Utumno. Gothmog was their captain during the First Age.